Greetings!

You are invited to join us as we begin our week of National Prayer for the Healing of AIDS, sponsored by the Balm of Gilead organization.

We will begin our week on Sunday, March 7, 2010 with a Service of Word and Holy Communion. It will begin at 11:00 am.

We are located at St. Michael's Lutheran Church, 6671 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa 19119. (215)848-0199

Blessings!
Pastor Andrena Ingram

You may visit us on the web at St. Michael's Lutheran Church

you may also get more information at: *Living* With HIV

Christmas can be a painful time for some. It may be the first Christmas without a loved family member who has recently died; it may be a time that has always been difficult.

The constant refrain on the radio and television, in shopping malls and churches, about the happiness of the season, about getting together with family and friends, reminds many people of what they have lost or have never had. The anguish of broken relationships, the insecurity of unemployment, the weariness of ill health, the pain of isolation - all these can make us feel very alone in the midst of the celebrating and spending. We need the space and time to acknowledge our sadness and concern; we need to know that we are not alone.

Our spirits sink, as the days grow shorter. We feel the darkness growing deeper around us. We need encouragement to live the days ahead of us.

For these reasons, St Michael's Lutheran Church offers a special “Blue Christmas” service on December 18th at 7:00 pm. Come out, and join with us in sharing and hearing prayers, scripture, and music that acknowledge that God’s presence is for those who mourn, for those who struggle - and that God’s Word comes to shine light into our darkness. Everyone, regardless of church background (or lack of it) is welcome.

We are located at 6671 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa 19119, for more information, please call the church office: (215) 848-0199.

Join us as we come together as people of God, to worship and lift up those infected and/or affected by the HIV/AIDS virus.

The global theme for 2009 and 2010 World AIDS Day is "Universal Access and Human Rights".

Service of Word and Holy Communion on November 29, 2009 @ 11:00 a.m.

St. Michael's Lutheran Church
6671 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, Pa 19119
(215)848-0199

All are welcome.

Pastor Andrena Ingram
visit us on the web: http://stmichaelsgermantown.org

In honor of St. Francis Assisi,which is on October 4th, there will be a short service of The Blessing of the Animals at St. Michael's Lutheran Church...6671 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa 19119. Weather permitting the service will be outside. Please bring your furry companions, or scaly companions or feathery companions for a blessing for being such a blessing in our lives.

for more information: 215-848-0199

St. Michael's Lutheran Church, 6671 Germantown Avenue, will join Philadelphia Fight (www.fight.org) to participate in National HIV Testing Day on Saturday, June 27, 2009 from noon to 4 pm. Speakers, literature and on-site HIV testing will be available. Other health-related information will be provided including resources for people who are living with HIV/AIDS, a healthy living table, and information about the SHARE food program, A community barbecue will be held during the event. The event is free and open to the public. Walk-ins welcome.

This program is a part of the15th Anniversary of National HIV Month during the month of June. The theme this year if Prevention, Treatment and Justice. Prevention because this is still the only way to stop the spread of HIV!. Treatment because HIV is not a death sentence! And Justice because HIV is caused by a virus, but the epidemic is caused by poverty, injustice and despair!

For more information, contact the church office at 215-848-0199.

Palm Sunday was celebrated by proclaiming Christ's entry into Jerusalem, and by our procession around the block. We walked around the block waving our palms and singing hymns. Our service included the "Reading of the Passion", and Holy Communion.

Our worship services in the next days are shaped by the remembrance of Christ's death and resurrection. All are welcome to these services. The services are as follows:

Maundy Thursday Service, April 9, 7:30 p.m. will include Holy Communion, traditional foot washing following Jesus' example of servanthood,the stripping of the altar, and the extinction of all candle light as worshipers leave in darkness.

Good Friday, April 10, worship at 7:30 p.m. This service will recall the crucifixion and the seven last words of Jesus. Liturgical dancers will offer an interpretation of "O Sacred Head, Now Wounded."

Easter Day Worship, April 12, 11:00 a.m. will be a joyous celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord. Liturgical dancing and special music with trumpet, soloists, and the entire congregation singing the "Hallelujah Chorus" will enrich our worship.

Come and join us! Children are welcome at all services. A continental breakfast from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. will precede the service. All are invited. Children are also invited to an Easter egg hunt to be held on the church lawn following worship.

St Michael's Lutheran is located at 6671 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa 19119..
office #215-848-0199

St. Michael’s Lutheran Church will be celebrating Reconciling in Christ Sunday, on January 25, 2009 at 6671 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia Pa 19119 at 11:00 a.m, with Holy Communion, song and scripture.

Reconciling in Christ is a program for Lutheran communities of faith to answer the inclusive call of the Gospel by welcoming people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

For more information about this event, please call the church office at (215)848-0199.

St. Michael’s Lutheran Church will be celebrating Reconciling in Christ Sunday, on January 25, 2009 at 6671 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia Pa 19119 at 11:00 a.m, with Holy Communion, song and scripture.

Reconciling in Christ is a program for Lutheran communities of faith to answer the inclusive call of the Gospel by welcoming people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

For more information about this event, please call the church office at (215)848-0199.

Christmas can be a painful time for some. It may be the first Christmas without a loved family member who has recently died; it may be a time that has always been difficult.

The constant refrain on the radio and television, in shopping malls and churches, about the happiness of the season, about getting together with family and friends, reminds many people of what they have lost or have never had. The anguish of broken relationships, the insecurity of unemployment, the weariness of ill health, the pain of isolation - all these can make us feel very alone in the midst of the celebrating and spending. We need the space and time to acknowledge our sadness and concern; we need to know that we are not alone.

Our spirits sink, as the days grow shorter. We feel the darkness growing deeper around us. We need encouragement to live the days ahead of us.

For these reasons, St Michael's Lutheran Church offers a special “Blue Christmas” service on December 19th at 7:00 pm. Come out, and join with us in sharing and hearing prayers, scripture, and music that acknowledge that God’s presence is for those who mourn, for those who struggle - and that God’s Word comes to shine light into our darkness. Everyone, regardless of church background (or lack of it) is welcome.

We are located at 6671 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa 19119, for more information, please call the church office: (215) 848-0199.

St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, 6671 Germantown Ave., is holding a community-wide flea market, book drive and fun day to benefit the Emlen School on Saturday, July 12 from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm. The rain date is Saturday, July 19.

In addition to the flea market, there will be a barbecue, activities for children, singing, praise dance, and knitting lessons.

St. Michael's is looking for people to rent tables ($10 donation), donate elementary age books (new or used and in good condition), and/or provide bookstore gift certificates or tax deductible cash donations for the school.

This is the second community event and fund raiser that St. Michael’s has organized to benefit Emlen. St. Michael's is concerned about inequities in the education system and decided to partner with its local public elementary school to support its success. St. Michael's hopes to provide mentors for students in the fall. St. Michael's sees the flea market as a way to raise community awareness and show give support to one of our local public schools.

For information about the flea market, to rent a table or make donations: Kathryn Mariani 215-380-0842 or kathrynmariani@aol.com. For information on how to partner with St. Michael’s to support the Emlen School, contact the church office at 215-848-0199.

The Big Picture is the Veggie Tales and small children worship coming to St. Michael's Lutheran Church...for more information, please call the church office 215-848-0199 and leave a message for Pastor Ingram!

News Item:
Catholics, Muslims, ink pact

Catholic and Muslim leaders in South Jersy signed an agreement yesterday, pledging cooperation and understanding of each other. It was the second such signing in the US. The first occured in 2003 in Rochester, New York. If the effort will now migrate to other states across the nation, and what impact, if any, it will have, remains to be seen. It is an effort, however, so that's a good thing, but radical factions from either side were notably absent.

News Link: Courier Post

Cartoon from Sid in the City

Please watch this music video on YouTube about Breaking the Cycle in Philly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DvWaDNDXmM

Thanks!

Join us for a service commemorating the memory of Martin Luther King, Jr...

In addition to our regular worship, which includes the Word and Holy Communion, we will also have our liturgical dancers..

All are welcomed!

St. Michael's Lutheran Church
6671 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, Pa 19119
(215)848-0199

Worship begins at 11:00 am
Adult Forum at 9:30 am

News Item:
Huckabee ad shows Christian Cross

First off, let me clarify, this is not an endorsement for Mike Huckabee for President. Our selection for a presidential candidate will appear here in late spring or early summer. His name starts with an 'S' and ends with an 'id'.

Now then... the clamor about the Huckabee Cross is still in the news after two weeks, and as is the case with most items that make political headlines these days, it's much ado about nothing. If you somehow haven't seen the ad, or photos of it, here's a brief summary. Huckabee uses the spot to send out Christmas greetings to all, most likely because it was the week before Christmas. The camera pans slowly as he delivers his message, and an image begins to appear in the shot. It's a bookcase, or part of a bookcase, the area where the shelves come together, and to some it appears to be a cross. To other, less gullible folks, it looks like a plus sign, since the horizontal and vertical lines bisect each other in the middle. But that's besides the point. The 'cross' also appears to glow slightly, because it's softened, a result of photographic depth of field. You know how your kid's school photo, or most any portrait, always has a blurred background to center your focus on the subject? Same thing.

This is a political campaign that started two years in advance, which in itself is totally ridiculous. Real issues are already becoming 'old' news, and there's still 11 months to go before the election. For those 11 months, it seems candidates will not only have to be concerned with the message they put forth, but also about what appears on the screen behind them.

News Link: The National Ledger

Cartoon from Sid in the City